Running good, running bad, variance and ego

When running good, you feel like you can't lose.

When running bad, you feel like you can't win.

My variance has been dramatic this year. I started out with a $50 bankroll on FTP and built that up to over $500 within a few months of playing occasional nights and weekend. Then I lost half of that within a few weeks, and felt like I just didn't know how to play anymore. I did exactly what you are not supposed to do when running bad: move up in stakes.

Then I got a free $5 in my inactive account on absolute poker, and built it up to $1300 in one weekend. Now I feel like I can beat anything.

How long until the next crash and ego crush?

Just thoughts to ponder.

Well my ego took quite the crushing last night, but all I want to do is get back in there and figure out where I made my mistakes.

for now I am going with "the planets weren't properly aligned"

I have been playing poker for a while now and I am getting well annoyed with this...

Since I started playing I started at the $2.25 SNG level on FTP and slowly worked my way up through the $5.50 and $11 levels to the $22 game. I never really noticed any varience in my bankroll but as soon as I hit the $20 + 2 level I work my way up to $800 then just get bummed and drop down to $500 in 2 sessions and then spend like 5 sessions working my way back up only to get bummed again and have to start again from $500. I seem to have hit a brick wall and I can't get past $800.

Tonight I find myself back at $550 after 10 losing sessions tonight and I am fast getting used to this scenario, which is never good. I can't be the only person this happens too, I just wonder why this only seems to happen to me at the $20+2 level. I understand there is varience to the game and that is why you have a bankroll it is just really frustrating!

anyway I'm leaving it for tonight and will come back to it fresh in the morning!

You're not ready for the 20+2 level yet.

and it is as simple as that....

never play above your comfort level...

if you cant win there, then dont play there...

what I do is I work my roll up to a 100% increase then i withdraw to what I started with, always playing the same stakes and mastering the stakes that give me the most profit

my bankroll indicates I am, i moved up at $500 giving me 30 buyins which is what all the pro's seem to think is acceptable. why am I not ready? [this isn't liek it sounds, its a genuine question]

Your new to the level. Think of all the people that have been playing there for a long time.

I just have a play bank roll, $80,600, and everytime I jump up to the 20/40 ring game, I feel like I am playing better, but I invaribly make a mistake (maybe not the first session or two) but it will eventually come.
And when I am buying in at $4000, that going bust brings me back down to where I need to drop to a lower level.

I don't like droping back down, but have since I am practicing at a new level, I must.

Now if I could just learn to get out when I have made 50% of my buy in, I'd be be moving my bankroll up. But, no, I want to double up.

Your playing tournaments though, so I guess you're just going to have to take your hits. Unless you could get your bankroll up by playing ring games. and then you would have more opportunities to practice at the level you want.

I am an aweful ring player lol, i used to play limit cash but I could never seem to grind out those 5BB/100 Hands and got frustrated. I dont mind dropping down. as soonn as i hit $500 I drop back down to the $10 SNG's then When I go back above $500 I move up again. It's pretty strict bankroll management but it just seems to be like a glass ceiling at $800. Check my sharkscope and you might see what I mean.

its just that the level of play might be too high for you....i am not saying you are bad, but these people probably play this sit n go dozens of times a day and for the past 2 months....

wait until you are completely ready and know that you can beat the players that are playing one level up on you...

i dont know


i stick with the games that I win the most
larger profit for me in the long run

I actually agree with that last post, so I'm gonna drop down to $10+1 for a month and see how my results fare, If I can make it to $1000, i might have enough experience to deal with the higher game!

made $120 at the £10 SNG's today, so maybe you are right!

What do you guys do when you run really bad? At the moment I am on a atleast 11 times loosing streak in 2.25. It seems that there is no end to it.

Yesterday I could still take my bad beats with a smile, but at the end of it made it to god profit. Now I feel like my bankroll can't stand it and I'm feeling that Deja Vu of going broke.

Go on a short hiatus. 7 days. Do not play any poker, you can talk poker, think poker, breath poker, read poker, but not play poker.

I found that for me I was playing too much poker. Beside the chair I wore out, and the back pains from sitting all day, I had a perverted, unreal view of the game and my version of the game.

It may amaze you.....

If you can make $1000 in a month (consistently), assuming you're not trying to go pro, why not stick with it? Why move up if you can make 12k a year from this game and lose money at the higher game?

I got cocky a while back and run very bad to go with it. I took 3 mnths off poker and it seems to have sorted me out. Always tke a break when u r running bad u will lose less this way

im not trying to go pro, but I'm not using it as a tool to make money either, I'm trying to push my game and crack the higher games by working my way through the ranks, i feel the higher games would be [on the whole] populated by better players and therefor I would have to step up my game to compete, its in the same theory as learning a language through emersion [sp?].

My varience is still all over the place, i dont seem to be able to cash as consistantly as lots of good players claim to be able to do so, I dont seem to be able to cash in 8/10 - but I seem to cash 2 out of 4 with 1 win meaning I am turning a profit.

What kind of ROI should I be looking to maintain for decent, but steady increase of my BR?